Auto News and Trends brought to you by: Midwest Glass Tinters of Deer Park

Posts Tagged ‘Corolla’

Kia Optima

There are many models to choose from, but we focused on those available for under $15,000 which includes recommended vehicles for teens from the 2008-2010 model years. Some have the latest safety equipment and are still affordable but key safety features such as curtain air bags and electronic stability control may not have been standard in others until later years. As always we encourage purchasing as many safety features–and electronic stability control in particular–if your budget allows. We list the average price for suitably equipped models available in that year when buying from the dealer.

The cars listed below average between 15- and 51-percent less than the retail price when the vehicle was new. Plus, all have at least average reliability according to our latest subscriber survey. Figure that vehicles from 2008 will generally have 66,000 miles, 2009 models around 51,000 miles, and 2010 about 40,000 miles.

Scanning the list, you’ll see that these are all traditional cars and small SUVs; large pickups and midsized and large SUVs are not recommended for young, inexperienced drivers because they are more prone to roll over and may be more difficult to handle than many other vehicles. Sports cars increase the risk of speeding and have a higher rate of accidents, and consequently, they carry tuition-sapping insurance premiums.

Buying a used car has many benefits. Most important is that the original owner takes the initial depreciation hit, as new cars lose much more value in the first and second years than those that follow. When shopping, look for cars that scored well in Consumer Reports’ tests when new, have proven reliability, and perform well in government and insurance industry crash tests. Before handing over the cash, have the vehicle inspected by a trained and trusted mechanic to make sure there are no hidden problems.

See the complete list of used-car deals across a variety of vehicle categories. Also, see our list of best new and used cars for teens, as well as our special section on teen driving safety. For detailed used car pricing based on the mileage and condition of the vehicle, try Consumer Reports Used Car Price Reports.

REPOSTED BY MIDWEST GLASS TINTERS FROM:  Consumer Reports

REPOSTED BY  MIDWEST GLASS TINTERS FROM: Motoramic.com

Yesterday it was a Ford recall, and today it’s Toyota.

Toyota is recalling nearly a quarter of a million vehicles because of a braking problem.

The Japanese automaker said Wednesday the global recall would affect 242,000 Prius and Lexus hybrid cars made between March and October 2009.  Toyota (TM) said it had received more than 90 complaints from drivers who said they needed to step more heavily on the brake pedal than they were used to.  A spokeswoman said a flaw was allowing nitrogen gas to leak into the brake fluid, reducing the effectiveness of the brakes.  There were no reports of accidents or injuries, she said.  Most of the cars affected are in Japan, where 117,000 vehicles are being recalled, followed by 91,000 in North America, 30,000 in Europe and smaller numbers in other markets.

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., said it would inspect the brake booster pump assembly on recalled Prius and Lexus HS 250h vehicles and replace it if necessary.  Toyota has been struggling to repair its reputation for reliability and safety after a series of recalls affecting millions of vehicles in recent years.

In April, Toyota said it was recalling 1.7 million cars around the world, including some popular Corolla, Matrix and Tundra models, due to problems with airbags.

Last October, the world’s biggest automaker recalled over 7 million cars because of a power window problem that posed a fire risk.

REPOSTED BY MIDWEST GLASS TINTERS FROM: http://money.cnn.com/2013/06/05/news/toyota-recall/index.html?hpt=hp_t3

For the first time in a long time, this year has seen a surge in the purchase of domestic vehicles with 6 of the top 10 best-selling vehicles made by GM, Ford & Chrysler.  Some of the shift can be attributed to the natural disasters in Japan affecting  imports, but with domestic producers having really stepped up their game, that void was filled by American-made vehicles.

Surprisingly, two past favorites – the Honda Civic and Honda CR-V as well as the Hyundai Sonata dropped from the top 10, nudged by more popular American-made vehicles.  According to Forbes.com, Ford’s F-Series pickups and GM’s Chevy Silverado continue to be America’s sales champs, as they have been for the past 3 years.  Pushing their way to the top are the Ford Fusion and Escape and the new compact from Chevy – the Cruze.  

Based on year-to-date results through October, 2011, following is the list of best-selling vehicles from Forbes.com:

1. Ford F-150 Pickup
2. Chevy Silverado Pickup
3. Toyota Camry
4. Nissan Altima
5. Ford Escape
6. Ford Fusion
7. Honda Accord
8. Toyota Corolla
9. Chevy Cruze
10. Ram Pickup

With new models launching, it will be interesting to see what 2012′s best-sellers will be.